Readers' letters | Health care, civil decency, spying, traffic

Health care comparisons

So let me see if I've got this right. I make an unhealthy decision to stop and pick up a pack of smokes on my way to work. By doing so, I will pay a penalty (higher premium) for health insurance.

Now the person next to me who's obviously obese picks up two Big Macs, a large fries and a super-size soda for lunch. Oh, but wait, that's now considered a medical condition. No penalty required. I'm confused or maybe it's just selective enforcement?

TOM GILLETTE

Louisville 40213

Civil decency

There may be no more contentious place in our entire city than on the sidewalk of Second and Market streets every Tuesday through Saturday morning. Before the sun even peeks out from the eastern horizon, locals begin converging in front of the EMW Women's Surgical Center. There they take their positions in what has become a nationwide culture-war for over 40 years. They come at 7 a.m. because the abortion issue means more to them than sleep, convenience or blissful apathy.

But far too often, proponents on both sides arrive with scowls of anger and moods that in their younger days would have required extended periods of "time out." Simply put, these principled agitators come cranky, and they often stay that way. I will readily grant them their right to act like spurned adolescents in public - even in the name of truth or justice; but I cannot pretend that forgetting the meaning of the word "civil" in civil society furthers either cause. Perhaps we didn't really learn everything we needed to know about life in kindergarten?

WESTON "HANK" BALCH

Louisville 40204

Worldwide spying

Kudos to Dr. Russell Weaver for having the courage to speak truth to us about the NSA revelations in his July 4 op-ed, which the mainstream media and various and sundry commentators concentrate their efforts on denigrating the messenger rather than forthrightly pointing out the far-reaching implications of what he is revealing to us. The drive by this and previous administrations to establish and maintain hegemony around the world is certainly part of the impetus for worldwide spying through collecting and storing of all electronic communications.

SARA E. GREENE

Louisville 40229

Traffic solutions

I'm happy Louisville is finally addressing traffic problems, e.g.: wasted time stopping for traffic signals and waiting for green, the accompanying wasting driver's time, and increased fuel usage and emissions. I wish Louisville would go a step further, such as flashing signal lights late at night so cars don't idle as long, when no oncoming traffic and frustrated drivers won't needlessly wait; eliminate traffic lights where there are no intersections or put in flashers. A bold step would be to control or eliminate drive-in windows at pharmacies, fast food restaurants and coffee shops. Maybe a voluntary action on the part of such establishments to curtail drive-in windows could enhance this effort.

MARVIN FLEISCHMAN

Louisville 40205

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Readers' letters | Health care, civil decency, spying, traffic

So let me see if I've got this right. I make an unhealthy decision to stop and pick up a pack of smokes on my way to work. By doing so, I will pay a penalty (higher premium) for health insurance.